The Social Wellbeing Agency is a New Zealand Departmental Agency that is hosted within the Public Service Commission. The Social Investment Agency was established on July 1, 2017, by the Fifth National Government and was subsequently replaced by the Social Wellbeing Agency in early 2020.[1][2][3]
The agency was created around the concept of "social investment" - the use of data to target social spending towards certain disadvantaged groups with the aim of achieving the best "return" in terms of long-term social outcomes and government costs resulting from social issues.[4][2][5] When the Sixth Labour Government came to power, it placed the agency and its approach under review. As a result of this, it was reformed into the Social Wellbeing Agency with the aim of being "more people-focused" by "looking at people and their needs" in addition to the existing data-based approach.[1]
The agency is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the government's social investment approach. The responsible minister is the Minister for Social Development which, as of 2023, is Louise Upston.[6][3][7]
The Social Investment Agency will officially launch on 1 July 2024, replacing the Social Wellbeing Agency. Its functions include:
A Ministerial Advisory committee known as the Social Investment Board will oversee the social investment work program, with plans to establish a Social Investment Fund by 2025 for vulnerable New Zealanders.[9]
The social investment approach involves:
